Theophilus

Gender: Boy
Origin: Greek
UK rank, 2025: #2,742 for boys
US rank, 2025: #2,390 for boys

Theophilus is a boys' name of Greek origin, meaning “love of God”. In 2025 it ranked 2,742nd for boys in the UK (8 babies) and 2,390th for boys in the US (57 babies).

What does Theophilus mean?

Greek

“love of God”

A male given name from Latin [in turn from Ancient Greek]; rare in English.

From Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Is Theophilus a girl's or a boy's name?

Theophilus is a boys' name. In 2025, it was given to 8 boys in the UK and 57 boys in the US. Too few girls were given it to be listed.

How popular is Theophilus in the UK?

Rank in 2025: 2,742nd among boys
Babies in 2025: 8 about 1 in 37,000 boys
Five-year trend: Steady down 11% in five years
Same name in a class: under 1% chance among 15 boys

In 2025, 8 boys in the UK were named Theophilus, making it the 2,742nd most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 3,108th. Its busiest year was 2013, with 13 boys.

2025 had more boys named Theophilus than any year since 2019.

Half of all the boys named Theophilus in the UK since 1996 were born between 2008 and 2018, the years shaded on the chart below.

Among boys in 2025, it was 2,658th in England and Wales.

1996Busiest: 13 in 20132025

Theophilus in the UK, year by year

Year	Boys	Rank
2025	8	#2,742
2024	6	#3,335
2023	3	#5,193
2022	3	#5,017
2021	5	#3,614
2020	6	#3,108
2019	10	#2,231
2018	3	#4,959
2017	8	#2,656
2016	7	#2,947
2015	5	#3,527
2014	9	#2,378
2013	13	#1,799
2012	5	#3,572
2011	12	#1,890
2010	10	#2,141
2009	12	#1,852
2008	6	#2,906
2007	4	#3,748
2006	9	#1,995
2005	1	#5,109
2004	5	#2,691
2003	6	#2,283
2002	3	#3,325
2001	0	–
2000	5	#2,237
1999	0	–
1998	0	–
1997	3	#2,979
1996	3	#2,949

How popular is Theophilus in the US?

Rank in 2025: 2,390th among boys
Babies in 2025: 57 about 1 in 30,000 boys
Five-year trend: Rising up 38% in five years
Same name in a class: under 1% chance among 15 boys

In 2025, 57 boys in the US were named Theophilus, making it the 2,390th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 2,805th. Its busiest year was 2022, with 68 boys. It first appears in the records in 1882.

Half of all the boys named Theophilus in the US since 1880 were born between 1947 and 2013, the years shaded on the chart below.

1882Busiest: 68 in 20222025

Theophilus in the US, year by year

Year	Boys	Rank
2025	57	#2,390
2024	65	#2,210
2023	63	#2,243
2022	68	#2,149
2021	44	#2,818
2020	43	#2,805
2019	42	#2,896
2018	49	#2,578
2017	40	#2,950
2016	48	#2,586
2015	34	#3,298
2014	39	#2,927
2013	38	#2,953
2012	36	#3,113
2011	18	#4,981
2010	16	#5,475
2009	17	#5,332
2008	19	#4,897
2007	26	#3,891
2006	17	#5,068
2005	24	#3,811
2004	17	#4,788
2003	27	#3,361
2002	20	#4,038
2001	16	#4,670
2000	21	#3,758
1999	24	#3,275
1998	24	#3,187
1997	23	#3,155
1996	16	#4,016
1995	10	#5,495
1994	14	#4,284
1993	13	#4,440
1992	20	#3,213
1991	12	#4,468
1990	17	#3,461
1989	14	#3,803
1988	23	#2,504
1987	14	#3,334
1986	13	#3,437
1985	13	#3,398
1984	12	#3,457
1983	13	#3,229
1982	17	#2,708
1981	22	#2,269
1980	16	#2,830
1979	19	#2,464
1978	15	#2,798
1977	32	#1,670
1976	11	#3,262
1975	22	#2,064
1974	15	#2,547
1973	15	#2,511
1972	15	#2,418
1971	20	#2,051
1970	11	#2,890
1969	13	#2,414
1968	14	#2,199
1967	19	#1,808
1966	17	#1,890
1965	18	#1,855
1964	11	#2,545
1963	13	#2,299
1962	13	#2,278
1961	12	#2,408
1960	16	#2,041
1959	16	#2,032
1958	17	#1,952
1957	27	#1,510
1956	18	#1,885
1955	24	#1,571
1954	28	#1,434
1953	20	#1,708
1952	21	#1,664
1951	21	#1,642
1950	22	#1,571
1949	25	#1,461
1948	25	#1,459
1947	19	#1,732
1946	18	#1,691
1945	13	#1,925
1944	14	#1,889
1943	9	#2,562
1942	12	#2,144
1941	7	#2,871
1940	10	#2,322
1939	9	#2,449
1938	17	#1,689
1937	10	#2,332
1936	11	#2,184
1935	8	#2,719
1934	15	#1,860
1933	16	#1,770
1932	12	#2,191
1931	19	#1,643
1930	18	#1,753
1929	17	#1,848
1928	15	#2,048
1927	19	#1,796
1926	12	#2,435
1925	17	#1,934
1924	30	#1,355
1923	10	#2,771
1922	22	#1,644
1921	28	#1,412
1920	21	#1,694
1919	24	#1,480
1918	24	#1,498
1917	20	#1,642
1916	15	#1,948
1915	20	#1,552
1914	15	#1,607
1913	15	#1,364
1912	7	#2,044
1911	9	#1,189
1910	7	#1,313
1909	7	#1,155
1908	0	–
1907	6	#1,199
1906	0	–
1905	0	–
1904	6	#1,063
1903	0	–
1902	0	–
1901	6	#942
1900	0	–
1899	0	–
1898	0	–
1897	0	–
1896	0	–
1895	0	–
1894	0	–
1893	0	–
1892	0	–
1891	0	–
1890	0	–
1889	0	–
1888	5	#1,030
1887	0	–
1886	0	–
1885	5	#935
1884	5	#971
1883	0	–
1882	5	#942

Names like Theophilus

Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.

Theo, Sebastian, Oliver, Tobias, Elias, Lucas, Leo, Ellis, Elijah, Harrison, Leon, Felix

More Greek names

Luca, Theodore, Sophia, George, Sofia, Alexander, Penelope, Phoebe, Margot, Luke, Chloe, Sophie, Zoe, Iris, Maisie, Lainey

Every Greek name

Sources

Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.

To cite this page: Nameling, “Theophilus: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/theophilus, updated 20 October 2026.